Maryland Falls in National Title Game Sunday

CHESTER, Pa. - Patrick Mullins scored a first half goal, but Notre Dame came back to defeat the Maryland men’s soccer team 2-1 in the 2013 College Cup final at PPL Park Sunday night.

The Terrapins (17-4-5) and the Fighting Irish (17-1-6) were even for most of the game, with both teams controlling parts of the 90 minutes. Andrew O’Malley provided the winner for the Irish with a header in the 60th minute

Notre Dame’s Harrison Shipp had the best chance of the early going, his right-footed effort knocked away by an outstretched Zack Steffen.

The Terps opened the scoring in the 35th minute. Tsubasa Endoh sent in a dangerous ball that Alex Shinsky blasted into an Irish player on the line. Mullins gathered the rebound and finished with a left-footed rocket for his 19th goal of the season.

The Irish answered through Leon Brown in the 40th minute. Nick Besler flicked on a long throw near that box that Brown was able to control and slip past Steffen from a tight angle.

Alex Shinsky had a golden chance to give the Terps back the lead with four minutes remaining in the half, but Irish keeper Patrick Wall saved his close range header.

After a fairly uneventful start to the second half, O’Malley struck for the Notre Dame in the 60th minute. Shipp lofted in a cross from the left wing that the Irish defender was able to head past Steffen.

The Terrapins pushed hard for the remaining 30 minutes, but were unable to come up with an equalizer. Mullins had a free kick from just outside the box in the late going, but the senior blasted the ball wide.

Mullins capped his sensational senior campaign with 19 goals and 46 points – both tied for the fifth-highest single season marks in Maryland history. He concludes his illustrious career with 47 goals and 119 points, which rank second in Terrapin history.

“I want to congratulate Bobby Clark and Notre Dame on their first national championship. They are really winners and I’m very happy for Bobby and all he has done for college soccer and I hope he enjoys this one,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said.

“At Maryland we shoot for the stars every year. We aim high. When you aim that high and you don’t reach, you still end up at the moon - which is higher than most people. To lose today to a great Notre Dame team is no disgrace and no shame. There’s heartache and disappointment in the locker room right now but that will pass and in true Maryland fashion, we’ll be back.”

Maryland advanced to its nation-best 13th straight NCAA round-of-16 in 2013 and captured the ACC regular season and tournament titles for the second consecutive season.

Mullins, Steffen and Tsubasa Endoh were all named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team and Steffen was recognized as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.